The role of the llm assistant#
Definition of the situation, problem and solution
Reporting volunteer observations#
Alot of ink has been spilled on the topic of citizen science and the role of volunteers in data collection. We assume that a a reasonable person would place value on the collective observations of a segment of the population in reference to a particular topic. We also assume that the value of any such collective observations is largely dependent on the method in which the observations were made and the transparency of the analytical process.
Beach litter data has two broad purposes: 1. To inform policy and 2. To inform the public. However, an informed policy at the national level is not the same at the regional level. Resource allocation and policy implementation are at the cantonal and municipal level. Thus, reasonable people at various levels of the administrative hierarchy may not have access to the information needed to make informed decisions.
Beach litter surveys#
The European Environment Agency (EEA) has been working with volunteers to collect data on marine litter. The volunteers have been collecting data on the amount and type of litter found on beaches in Europe. The collection method is defined in the Guide to monitoring marine litter in European seas. In 2020 a beach litter density threshold and method of calculation was introduced by the EEA using the data collected by volunteers. The threshold value is based on the principal of precaution regarding exposure to plastics. In switzerland monitoring of shoreline litter along lakes and rivers has followed the same protocol with minor modifications due to topography since 2015.
Data availability and reporting#
The availability of the data is largely dependent on local NGOs and volunteers. There is no legal requirement to report litter data. The federal report, modeled after the EEA report, provides a format and a method for aggregating and reporting but no infrastructure to collect and report the data. In the Léman region data collection and reporting has standardized because of the work of local NGOs, the most recent report was published in 2024.
Environmental monitoring and protection#
Environmental monitoring and protection are the responsibility of the cantons in Switzerland. The cantons can and do delegate certain responsibilities to the municipalities. Thus, a report at the national level provides an overview of the situation but provides very little value in the way enabling action at the cantonal or municipal level.
Cantonal and municipal resources#
Each canton and municipality has a section or department responsible for environmental pollution. These departments, for the most part, are already working with limited resources. Managers of these departments may be more than competent in interpreting a report but lack the additional human resources necessary to collect data and prepare reports for their own canton or municipality. The cause of this is two fold: 1. The lack of common infrastructure for data collection and reporting and 2. Inexperience in domain specific data handling and analysis
The solution#
We provide a solution that maximizes the efficiency of the reporting process by leveraging large language models (llms) and standardized scientific computing. The llm assistant produces a rough draft of the standardized report, ready to be reviewed and edited by the domain expert (or the responsible person). This reduces the cost to report the data and keeps a human in the analytical loop. More of the resources can be allocated to collection and communication of the data. Or if you look at this way, small investments in data collection will lead to large returns in communication at the municipal and cantonal level.
Ultimately, the goal is that those who must act to reduce pollution have the data in the format that they need to make informed decisions. The llm assistant uses the current monitoring methods and the capabilities of the llms and scientific computing to provide a solution that is both efficient, transparent and appropriate to all scales of governance and stakeholders.